Track for snow vehicle

Abstract

A snow vehicle and more particularly an improved track and driving arrangement therefor. The track has lugs on one side that are engaged with teeth of a drive sprocket for driving the track in a positive manner. The opposite side of the track and that which faces the ground has pairs of teeth disposed on opposite sides of the track drive lugs and each having different configurations which are mirror images of each other. One of the teeth of the pairs is configured to provide good traction in soft snow on its forward face and good traction on hard snow in its rearward face while the other tooth provides the opposite effects so that good traction will be provided in either direction of drive.

I claim: 
     
       1. A drive belt for a snow vehicle or the like comprising a surface adapted to engage the snow surface and providing driving engagement therewith, a plurality of drive teeth formed on said surface and projecting therefrom for improving the traction, certain of said teeth being configured differently other of said teeth for improving traction on different types of surfaces. 
     
     
       2. A drive belt for a snow vehicle as set forth in claim 1 wherein the teeth have different angles of inclination in their drive direction. 
     
     
       3. A drive belt for a snow vehicle as set forth in claim 2 wherein the different teeth have different angles of inclination on their rearward faces. 
     
     
       4. A drive belt for a snow vehicle as set forth in claim 3 wherein the different teeth are mirror images of each other. 
     
     
       5. A drive belt for a snow vehicle as set forth in claim 4 wherein the teeth are arranged in pairs and there are two different types of teeth. 
     
     
       6. A drive belt for a snow vehicle as set forth in claim 5 wherein the teeth are interrupted transversely across their surfaces. 
     
     
       7. A driving arrangement for a snow travelling vehicle comprising a driving sprocket, a drive belt having a first side engaged with said driving sprocket, said driving sprocket and said drive belt having interengaging teeth for effecting a positive drive of said drive belt from said driving sprocket, said interengaging teeth of said first surface comprise lugs formed on said drive belt, said drive belt having a second side facing oppositely from said first side and adapted to engage the snow surface from propelling the vehicle therealong, said second side of said drive belt being formed with pairs of driving teeth comprising first and second teeth spaced on opposite sides of the respective of the interengaging teeth of said first surface of said drive belt, said drive sprocket having a continuous cylindrical center portion transverse to its axis of rotation engaged with the center of said belt continuously and pairs of drive lugs spaced therefrom and engaging said drive lugs on said belt for transferring the drive thereto. 
     
     
       8. A driving arrangement as set forth in claim 7 wherein the first and second teeth have different shapes. 
     
     
       9. A driving arrangement as set forth in claim 8 wherein the leading edge of the first teeth of the pairs is disposed at a relatively shallow angle to the second surface of the drive belt and the leading edges of the second teeth of the pairs are disposed at relatively steep angles to the second surface of the drive belt. 
     
     
       10. A driving arrangement as set forth in claim 9 wherein the first and second teeth are mirror images of each other whereby the second tooth provides the same driving effect when travelling in a reverse direction as the first tooth does when travelling in the forward direction and vice versa. 
     
     
       11. A driving arrangement for a snow travelling vehicle comprising a driving sprocket, a drive belt having a first side engaged with said driving sprocket, said driving sprocket and said drive belt having interengaging teeth for effecting a positive drive of said drive belt from said driving sprocket, said drive belt having a second side facing oppositely from said first side and adapted to engage the snow surface from propelling the vehicle therealong, said second side of said drive belt being formed with pairs of driving teeth comprising first and second teeth spaced on opposite sides of the respective of the interengaging teeth of said first surface of said drive belt, wherein the first and second teeth have different shapes. 
     
     
       12. A driving arrangement as set forth in claim 11 wherein the leading edge of the first teeth of the pairs is disposed at a relatively shallow angle to the second surface of the drive belt and the leading edges of the second teeth of the pairs are disposed at relatively steep angles to the second surface of the drive belt. 
     
     
       13. A driving arrangement as set forth in claim 12 wherein the first and second teeth are mirror images of each other whereby the second tooth provides the same driving effect when travelling in a reverse direction as the first tooth does when travelling in the forward direction and vice versa. 
     
     
       14. A drive belt for snow vehicle comprised of a first side adapted to be engaged with a driving sprocket, a plurality of lugs formed on said first side and adapted to cooperate with a drive member for driving said drive belt, said drive belt having a second side facing oppositely from said first side and adapted to engage the snow surface for propelling a vehicle therealong, said second side of said drive belt being formed with pairs of driving teeth comprised of first and second teeth having different shapes spaced on opposite sides of the respective lugs on said first side of said drive belt. 
     
     
       15. A drive belt as set forth in claim 14 wherein the drive lugs on the belt are arranged in transversely spaced pairs. 
     
     
       16. A drive belt as set forth in claim 15 wherein the leading edge of the first teeth of the pairs is disposed at a relatively shallow angle to the second surface of the drive belt and the leading edges of the second teeth of the pairs are disposed at relatively steep angles to the second surface of the drive belt. 
     
     
       17. A drive belt as set forth in claim 16 wherein the first and second teeth are mirror images of each other whereby the second tooth provides the same driving effect when travelling in a reverse direction as the first tooth does when travelling in the forward direction and vice versa. 
     
     
       18. A drive belt as set forth in claim 14 wherein the leading edge of the first teeth of the pairs is disposed at a relatively shallow angle to the second surface of the drive belt and the leading edges of the second teeth of the pairs are disposed at relatively steep angles to the second surface of the drive belt. 
     
     
       19. A drive belt as set forth in claim 14 wherein the first and second teeth are mirror images of each other whereby the second tooth provides the same driving effect when travelling in a reverse direction as the first tooth does when travelling in the forward direction and vice versa.